Unable to manage the vehicles ahead, the diver tried to return to his lane before hitting a trailer from behind where the driver of the trailer lost control, hitting another matatu from behind.

"The matatu was unable to overtake a number of vehicles before the accident that involved a multiple of vehicles happened", said Mukindia.

The county commander also asked drivers to be keen while ferrying lives of people and observe traffic rules.

The injured passengers were taken to Machakos level 5 hospital where they are undergoing treatment.

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The accident caused a major traffic snarl along the busy Mombasa-Nairobi highway but police officers managed to remove the wreckage from the scene that had blocked the road hence traffic returning to normalcy.

The bodies of the deceased were taken to Machakos level 5 hospital mortuary.